Word Study
obscene
CIDE DICTIONARY
obscene, a. [L. obscenus, obscaenus, obscoenus, ill looking, filthy, obscene: cf. F. obscéne.].
- Offensive to chastity or modesty; expressing or presenting to the mind or view something which delicacy, purity, and decency forbid to be exposed; impure; as, obscene language; obscene pictures. [1913 Webster]"Words that were once chaste, by frequent use grew obscene and uncleanly." [1913 Webster]
- Foul; fifthy; disgusting. [1913 Webster]"A girdle foul with grease binds his obscene attire." [1913 Webster]
- Inauspicious; ill-omened. [1913 Webster]"At the cheerful light,
The groaning ghosts and birds obscene take flight." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Impure; immodest; indecent; unchaste; lewd.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
obscene, adj.
1 offensively or repulsively indecent, esp. by offending accepted sexual morality.
2 colloq. highly offensive or repugnant (an obscene accumulation of wealth).
3 Brit. Law (of a publication) tending to deprave or corrupt.
1 offensively or repulsively indecent, esp. by offending accepted sexual morality.
2 colloq. highly offensive or repugnant (an obscene accumulation of wealth).
3 Brit. Law (of a publication) tending to deprave or corrupt.
Derivative
obscenely adv. obsceneness n.
Etymology
F obsc{egrave}ne or L obsc(a)enus ill-omened, abominable
THESAURUS
obscene
Cyprian, Fescennine, Paphian, Rabelaisian, abhorrent, abominable, abusive, amoral, animal, aphrodisiomaniacal, atrocious, awful, barnyard, base, bawdy, beastly, below contempt, beneath contempt, blasphemous, blue, broad, calumniatory, calumnious, carnal, clitoromaniacal, coarse, comminatory, concupiscent, contemptible, contumelious, crass, crude, crusty, cursing, damnatory, debauched, degenerate, denunciatory, despicable, detestable, dirty, disgusting, dissolute, distasteful, dysphemistic, earthy, epithetic, erotic, eroticomaniacal, erotomaniacal, evil, excommunicative, excommunicatory, execrable, execratory, fetid, filthy, fleshly, forbidding, foul, foul-mouthed, foul-spoken, foul-tongued, foulmouthed, fulminatory, fulsome, gaudy, goatish, gross, gynecomaniacal, hateful, heinous, hideous, horny, horrible, hot, hysteromaniacal, ignoble, immodest, immoral, imprecatory, improper, impure, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, inelegant, insufferable, intolerable, ithyphallic, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, libertine, libidinous, licentious, lickerish, loathsome, loose, loud, lubricious, lurid, lustful, maledictory, malodorous, mephitic, meretricious, miasmal, miasmic, nasty, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious, nymphomaniacal, objectionable, obnoxious, odious, off color, offensive, outrageous, paw, pornographic, priapic, profane, prurient, randy, rank, raunchy, raw, rebarbative, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, ribald, rich, risque, rocky, rough, rude, ruttish, salacious, satyric, scabrous, scatologic, scatological, scurrile, scurrilous, sensual, sexual, sexy, shameful, shameless, shocking, sickening, smoking-room, smutty, stinking, suggestive, sultry, unchaste, unclean, unpalatable, unprintable, unrepeatable, vile, vituperative, vulgar, wanton, warm, wickedROGET THESAURUS
obscene
Impurity
N impurity, uncleanness, immodesty, grossness, indelicacy, indecency, impudicity, obscenity, ribaldry, Fescennine, smut, bawdry, double entente, equivoque, concupiscence, lust, carnality, flesh, salacity, pruriency, lechery, lasciviency, lubricity, Sadism, sapphism, incontinence, intrigue, faux pas, amour, amourette, gallantry, debauchery, libertinish, libertinage, fornication, liaison, wenching, venery, dissipation, seduction, defloration, defilement, abuse, violation, rape, incest, prostitution, social evil, harlotry, stupration, whoredom, concubinage, cuckoldom, adultery, advoutry, crim, con, free love, seraglio, harem, brothel, bagnio, stew, bawdyhouse, cat house, lupanar, house of ill fame, bordel, bordello, impure, unclean, not to be mentioned to ears polite, immodest, shameless, indecorous, indelicate, indecent, Fescennine, loose, risque, coarse, gross, broad, free, equivocal, smutty, fulsome, ribald, obscene, bawdy, pornographic, concupiscent, prurient, lickerish, rampant, lustful, carnal, carnal-minded, lewd, lascivious, lecherous, libidinous, erotic, ruttish, salacious, Paphian, voluptuous, goatish, must, musty, unchaste, light, wanton, licentious, debauched, dissolute, of loose character, of easy virtue, frail, gay, riggish, incontinent, meretricious, rakish, gallant, dissipated, no better than she should be, on the town, on the streets, on the pave, on the loose, adulterous, incestuous, bestial.For further exploring for "obscene" in Webster Dictionary Online